


Shadow Of Catra

by CaptainCatra



Category: Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor (Video Games), She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Blood, Catra replaces Talion, Crossover, Do Original Characters include Uruks?, F/F, I'm Bad At Tagging, Ratbag has a blood brother
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-08
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-13 17:14:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29282037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainCatra/pseuds/CaptainCatra
Summary: Catra is set adrift between the world of light and dark, banished from death and unable to join her family. Working together with a wraith of an elf, Catra will go on a journey to keep her promise. Will she succeed, or fall to corruption along the way?(Well here is another random story I'm going to try and fit Catra into, and I'm going to use the way how i play in the game and adjust it to how Catra will act.)
Relationships: Catra/Ioreth
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. Banished from Death

Gasping and sitting up in a panic, the pain having vanished from her neck, rubbing it as she looked around as her body rocked nervously to the core. Ears twitching as she scanned her surroundings as much as she could, having great difficulty everything was covered in a blue like fog, the sounds of a gale pushing through the area.

“Dirhael!” Rising to a slow stand as if she hadn’t been fighting for the past hour, barely registering it as she wanted to find her family, “Ioreth!”

Body growing rigid at the sight she came across, the bodies of her son Dirhael, and her wife Ioreth, laying in a pool of their own blood from having their neck cut open. Kneeling down between their bodies, tears threatening to spill reaching her hand over and closing their eyes, the flowers she had got Ioreth lay on the floor.   


  
“It wasn’t a dream after all.” Catra picked up the flowers carefully holding them close to her chest sobbing softly, as she replayed the events of the day.

* * *

“That is a perfect swing for killing chickens,” Catra laughed as she blocked her son’s blade and easily deflected him away, pushing him back a few steps.

“Wouldn’t want to hurt you.” Dirheal chuckled a little recovering from the small tumble charging towards her again.

“It’ll take a lot more than that,” Catra smirked at her son, blocking another blow as the blades hit each other, tail wrapping around his ankle and tugging as she stepped to the side, watching him nearly fall on his face, “Haha! Dirheal, the mighty chicken slayer.”

Backing up a little waiting for him to recover and gain his footing, honestly she was going easy on him since this was training. Blocking and parrying are one of the first things one should learn before fighting, “Come on, come on. Show you father what you have.”

“With your tail it’s a bit more difficult.” He swung at her again, blade sliding to the right as she redirected it with her own, away from her.

“True, but excellent swing. Your footing needs a bit more work though.” Catra chuckled wrapping her tail around her leg to make it fair, not wanting to advance too fast, “You’ll have to hit harder if you want to best your father.”

Dirheal paid attention to his footing this time as approached with another swing, getting past her blade and connecting with her armoured shoulder pad. The blades were blunt but that strike would have done serious damage, “Hard enough?”

“That’s more like it, remember to always pay attention to your footing,” Catra stepped forward with a feint thrust startling her son as he stepped back, his ankle hitting uneven ground as he fell back onto his arse, “And your surroundings.”

“Hop back up, speed is another essential thing in battle.” Watching as her son stood up, sighing a little at the fact he got up like he had just tripped, there were better ways and that would have been one that could have gotten him killed.

Swinging her blade at the same time as his blocking his strike from above, the blades bounced off each other throwing them off slightly. With Catra’s experience she was quicker twisting on her feet and jabbing at his stomach, bouncing off his armour harmlessly causing him to grunt.

“Parry, son. Don’t forget to block.” Striking again not allowing him to recover this time, impressed when he blocked her strike. It was a weak block but since she wasn’t serious with the strike it was good enough, the metal clicking echoed in her ears.

“Perhaps you should not forget to hit,” Dirheal taunted his father lost in the moment, his face paling at his mistake, “W-wait i mean-”

“Stay alert, Dirheal,” Catra had a wicked grin striking over and over at different angles with him barely able to block as she jabbed at his armour, probably leaving bruises underneath, “Your enemy will not always be as he appears.”

Catra watched her son shake off the confusion before hardening himself swinging back and blocking her strike as they came to a standstill. Seeing the look in his eyes made her proud as it was one of a soldier, deflecting their blades to the ground unwrapping her tail and tugging both swords from their hands.

“Easy son, you’re not a soldier yet,” Patting his shoulder as they ended their training session for now allowing him to relax, “Now go get patched up, rain is on the horizon. It can give us an opportunity to balance footing in the rain.”

“Sure father,” Picking up his blade and putting it back in his sheath, having a teasing smile “And you should probably go give the flowers to mother.”

“I should have just kept that to myself,” Groaning and rubbing face in slight annoyance and embarrassment, picking up her sword with tail and swatting him in the back with the flat part, “Now get.”

“I’m going, I'm going.” Dieheal laughed trudging off to get bandaged up in the dining hall as he was helping prepare it as well.

  
  
Chuckling she strolled over to the side of the wall, she picked up a bouquet of Niphredil off an empty wooden barrel, a friend from Gondor had delivered it to Narchost as this was where the rangers of the black gate protected. Happy that it had arrived this morning and not the day after, as it was her and Loreth’s anniversary today.

Staring out into the heart of Morder looking at the volcano known as Orodruin, others commonly call it Mount Doom, thinking about how to give it to her. Catra knew she could go with the straight forward approach but couldn’t help running different scenarios in her head about how to.

Catra probably stood there for a few minutes debating that she almost didn’t hear the footfalls of someone walking past behind her, the soft humming confirming that it was Loreth. Slowly turning around as her ears twitched determined to keep listening to her voice, tail swaying slightly watching Ioreth heading for the dining hall.

Internally sighing happily inside as she crouched low and followed after her intent on trying to surprise her, but her purring was giving her away, Ioreth just wasn’t commenting as she hid a smile. Placing down what she was carrying on the table as her humming turned to singing instead.

“On winds and waters may you cross,” Loreth’s singing was heavenly to Catra’s ears as they twitched, blushing brightly and purring as Ioreth turned around and faced her, “See mountains white and blue.”

“But on your road, lest not forget,” Catra used her tail to hold the bouquet of flowers as she stood up and took her hand in hers, a bit embarrassed of her own singing but wouldn’t stop, “The love I have for you.”

“Dance on beaches in Anfalas,” Ioreth and Catra started slowly dancing in circles holding each other, “Sleep in moonlit fields of view.”

“May you cross another Golden Age,” Catra gave Ioreth a small twirl hearing small laughter from her, “With precious free-flowing.”

“With Halfing, Elves and Dwarves engage,” Ioreth was the one to pull Catra close with a bright smile, “Their wisdom on you, bestowing.”

“Happy anniversary, my love.” Catra purred gently and revealed the flowers placing them into her hands.

“This is beautiful…” Ioreth sniffed the flowers, a smile gracing her face at the smell, “Where did you find it?”

“I still have a few friends left in Gondor,” Catra grinned just a little proud as tail swayed, “I’m just happy to give you the flowers you love.”

“Did you talk to my father?” Ioreth looked at her slightly worried, watching Catra’s tail dipped at the subject.

“Yes I did, and nothing has changed,” Sighing a little in disappointment leaning back against the table, “He’s still very stubborn.”

“I say we go anyway.” Ioreth gently slipped in her hand into Catra’s whispering to her not wanting others to pry into their conversation.

“Dirheal will not come willingly,” Leaning against her resting head against hers, “But I too wish to leave from here.”

“There must be a better life than this.” Ioreth muttered softly to her hiding her face in Catra’s neck, feeling comforted by her fur.

“Not now…” Catra gently moved and held her chin in her fingers, looking into her eyes with her duel coloured eyes giving her a soft peck, “But soon.”

“I’m just so tired of hiding here, Catra.” Both of them hugged each other.

* * *

  
  


Standing up slightly still sobbing slightly while slowly inspecting her surroundings, everywhere was filled with a blue fog but other than that it looked similar than how it was before. Her eyes focused on a brighter blue area in the fog that had the silhouette of perhaps a human or elf, quickly zooming away before she could say anything.

“Am I dead?” Catra could sense they were still nearby, just hidden from her sight, but they were the only one she could ask.

“You are banished from death.” Well the voice confirmed it was a male, but those words send a shiver down her spine.

Watching the flowers in her hand turning into her sword, quickly raising it and blocking an invisible force she couldn’t see. Her memories continue to come back to her.

* * *

  
  


“I’ll have your guts!” The Uruk yelled in Catra’s face as it towered over her, blades locked together as the rain pelted heavily as the storm had come in, Catra knew these weren’t normally orcs, as these one’s were stronger and tougher than normal.

With quick thinking she used one hand and backhanded the uruk in the face with her metal gauntlet, claws slipping out of the tips feeling the bone crushing in it’s jaw and watching black blood spray from the impact, leaving deep scars on its face. The uruk’s defense dropped as the blade was held loose.

Tail wrapping tight on the handle yanking it from it’s grasp, grabbing it’s wrist as it tried to swing at her. Claws digging in and bending slightly as it’s wrist was cut open, thrusting her sword through it’s gut. Watching the light disappear from its eyes shoving it over prepared to fight the others, “Dirheal!”

Seeing her son further along the wall going to rush to help him, only resting a little easier watching as their training had paid off a little. Dirheal had managed to cut down three uruks right after the other, he was breathing heavily but wouldn’t back down as he got ready to cut down more, “I’m alright!”

“Thank god for that.” Sighing a little relaxing, the rain hindered her hearing slightly but stepped back in time avoiding a strike from another Uruk. Slashing at it’s neck with her blade as black blood tainted the tip of her sword as a line of it appeared on the ground as well.

Tail wrapping around the ankles of another as it attacked from behind, being tripped up as it fell to its hands and knees in a daze. Quickly swapping her sword for her dagger, she yanked it up and stabbed into it’s armpit finding the gap between bones, twisting it with a snap breaking it’s arm entirely, it’s shouts of pain drowned out from the rain.

Yanking it back out before thrusting it into the back of it’s thick skull, piercing through skin and bone destroying it’s brain leaving another dead uruk on the wall. Kicking the body to the ground as her eyes focused on the other uruk, being able to see easier than them as she picked her next target.

Rushing forward and shoulder barging an Uruk with all her strength, it was harder against things bigger than her but she didn’t train for nothing. Tail wrapping around it’s ankles so it couldn’t centre itself, falling over the edge of the wall it had just climbed. Unwrapping her tail as she wasn’t keen to follow it over.

Stepping towards another one which was more on guard, slashing at it’s barely armoured front, keeping fast to dodge it’s strike as well. Turning on the defensive as she faced and blocked a strike from above from another uruk who had managed to sneak up on her.

Turning on her heel as either uruk was to the left and right of her, taking turns to strike at each one stunning them before they could strike. Committing to one as her son came to her side dealing with one of them. Tail wrapping around it’s neck and forcing it down, using the momentum to slice it’s head clean off.

“Stand fast, Dirheal!” Shouting deflecting another blow kicking an Uruk at her son.

“Their deaths are far from swift, father!” Impaling the Uruk on his blade, tugging it out and slicing off it’s arm. His blade shook as another strike bounced off it, keeping his mind focused lunging into its shoulder, digging deep as it tripped back at the same place he did earlier that day.

“Remember son, lunge deep,” The uruk yanked the sword out of it’s shoulder disarming Dirheal, but couldn’t speak as blood gurgled from it’s mouth from the cut on it’s neck as Catra stood in front of it, “Cut deeper.”

Jumping a little as an axe was thrown, connecting with her blade and sending it flying from her hold. This wasn’t going to slow her down as her tail picked up the axe while jumping her gauntlet into the gap between jaw and throat, claws digging and locking in, yanking it’s throat out without mercy.

Killing the last uruk in the section of the wall as she returned it’s axe to sender tossing it hard. Lodging deep into its face enough to nearly split its head in half. Tumbling back off the wall into the black abyss below.

“These orcs are much stronger than any we’ve ever seen.” Dirheal was catching his breath as they approached the door to the tower, Catra opening it slightly peeking in for any Uruk’s who had gotten inside.

“They’re not Orcs, they’re Uruks. They’re far worse and there’s too many. Go find your mother,” Catra faced him, seeing like he was about to protest raising her hand in a calming notion, “Go find your mother, keep her safe. I’ll be right behind you, go.”

Opening the door a bit more for Dirheal to slip in before she closed it and turning back to the far as a few uruks who had injured back a little appeared and started charging her, sighing charging at them intent on striking them down swiftly as possible. Trusting her son to find her.

It didn’t take long for her to cut down the last of the uruks for now, even having sliced the legs off some of them, managing to get a good few blows on her but any major damage was held back from the armour she wore. Sheathing her sword she headed for the dining hall intent on following after her son.

Slowly sneaking through the door she wasn’t expecting to see Ioreth cornered by an Uruk, wondering where her son had gone. Perhaps Ioreth was quiet that even their son didn’t even know she was here, but she knew what she had to do crouching low.

Unheard and unseen Catra snapped the neck of an uruk who was threating Ioreth, tossing the body to the side quickly moving forward and covering her mouth before she could scream. Catra’s azure and pale yellow eyes glowed slightly in the dark room, calming Ioreth down.

“Sh, sh, we must hide now, or we are both dead,” Moving her hand to grip hers while tail wrapped around her waist, “Come on.”

“We should have left when we had the chance.” Whispering softly the fear evident in her voice, as they ducked behind an upturned table. Catra peeked out, seeing a few uruk’s searching the dining room.

“Don’t move. I will clear a path,” Reassuring Ioreth before she slowly stalked out of cover, a single thought going through her mind, “I am outnumbered, stealth is my only option.”

Approaching the first uruk from behind while slowly pulling out her dagger, she slammed it deep into his side just above the waist, muffing his screams as her other hand covered his mouth, claws digging into face so he couldn’t unlatch her. Tail latching onto his leg while slightly twisting his head, tugging his leg out from underneath. Ears twitching at the snap has his fallen body caused his neck to snap.

Prowling behind another one using cover to stay hidden before making her move, using the uruk’s weight against him as she wrapped her hand around it’s mouth and tugged him down backwards. Her dagger tore into the flesh of his stomach as it pierced easily. Lowering its body to the floor without sound.

Approaching the last one in the room with ease she went with quick and simple as she reached around from being and slash it’s neck open, blood dripping down it’s form. Putting her dagger away as everything was going fine at this point, then it wasn’t.

“Catra!” Loreth’s voice panicked as she screamed for help.

Twirled around her sword sliding from it’s sheath ready to fight whatever caused her wife to panic, but instead froze at the sight before her. Ioreth was unharmed for now, but that could change at any moment from the blade against her neck as she was held hostage.

They definitely weren't Uruk’s from their slight human appearance, but they could barely be humans by the scent of it as they were tall and armoured. A foul and evil scent now filling her nose as she looked at the newcomers. Knowing there was one behind her from the heavy metal boots.

“Put the sword down, Ranger.” The one holding Ioreth, drew the blade dangerously close to her neck.

“Corrupt humans, should have known.” Whispering angrily to herself as she stared into his eyes.

Hissing at the fact she doesn’t have any other choice as she tossed it to the ground reluctantly ready to do what they want, what she wasn’t expecting was a heavy mace slamming into the back of her legs. Forced down to her knees with her leg in pain but refused to show it knowing it would bruise.

As it slammed down onto her back this time, her vision blurring from the pain of a few cuts, believing it to be a miracle her back was broken. Not noticing the one who held Loreth passed her to an uruk as he approached forward, his sword blocking the mace from striking her again..

“The Black Hand wants her alive!” He shouted angrily at the one that was bashing at Catra’s back.

“Ioreth!” Catra reached out to her weakly while they were distracted, just wanting to hold her hand, but Ioreth was pulled away.

“Take her.” The first one ordered as the uruk threw Ioreth onto his shoulders before carrying her off.

Catra not having time to react as she was kicked in the side coughing as she fell onto her back. Not registering at first that the mace slammed down onto the hand with the bladed tip piercing through her hand, the façade she had broke away as she yelled in pain as blood covered her hand, feeling the bones crunching as it twisted slightly.

“She will live.” The other spoke with certainty as the mace was yanked from her hand more blood spraying from it.

Moving to try and sit up holding up her damaged hand weakly trying to block the strike, the mace connected with her head and knocked her out cold.

* * *

  
  


Catra was awakened as the rain pelted against her face and a fist in her gut making her grunt in pain, couldn’t even feel her hand anymore. Looking up slightly, seeing Dirheal who was battered bruised and Ioreth also on their knees held still, a human slowly approaching them, his skin pale white than normal. A blade sitting in his hand.

It was pointed slightly at Dirheal which was a sign as he was slowly forced down to the ground, head being held back to show off his neck. Catra struggled to escape from his hold but received another punch nearly losing her lunch. Looking into her son’s eyes, apologetic and calm.

“Father.” Dirheal frowned slightly at the look as the guy, presumably the Black Hand from what the dude said before, approached.

“Dirheal, look at me. I’m right here,” Knowing she was unable to prevent his death and knowing a miracle was unlikely, having a small weak smile, “I’m right here. R-Remember don’t give them the s-satisfaction of seeing misery on your face.”

“You should probably take your own advice father,” Speaking softly letting one last smile onto his face as the blade slowly pressed against his throat, “See you soon, father.”

“Ghurarmu shirkush’ agh azgushu.” The Black Hand spoke in a language unknown to Ioreth and Dirheal while slowly slicing Dirhea’s neck open, the smile never leaving his face. Catra knew what the Black Hand spoke, ‘A sacrifice of blood and bone.”

Ioreth screamed in anguish as their son was killed in front of her eyes, Catra’s tears now rolling down her face as she didn’t want her son to see them. Listening to the Black Hand as he kept speaking while slowly circling them, “A bridge for you to follow. You will emerge a shadow.”

Catra looked deeply into Ioreth’s eyes as the Black Hand was approaching her next, the Uruk gripping her shoulders tight to keep her still.

“We will be together my love! Soon! Forever!” Ioreth shouted her heart out to Catra, the light leaving her eyes as her neck was cut open while the Black Hand repeated the same words on Dirheal. Watching as his eyes slowly turned on her.

“I promise.” Catra whispered softly hoping she heard those words.

  
The tears were running down her face but she was defiant as a grin graced her face as she looked at all the ones around her, giving them the look as if she was able to move, she would strike down every single one of them. The Black Hand seemed to scoff as he approached her now, Catra giving one remark before her fate was sealed.

“You should spend more time in the sun, you skinny pale arse.” Smirking ignoring the punch to the gut.

Feeling the warm wetness of her blood slide down her body as she felt her neck being cut open, barely hearing him recite those same words. Before fading into gentle bliss of darkness she heard him speak in her language with the last few words she heard, “Come back to me, Elf Lord.”

* * *

“What is this place?” Catra looked around finally discovering who was speaking to her, as a ghost of an elf approached her from within the fog, this must be the elf lord.

“See for yourself.” The Elf ghost beckoned for her to follow him, having no other choice agreeing slowly following, making sure to pick up her lute as she did. The area began to change as they no longer were in the dining hall, instead they were in a ghostly tower with an anvil in the middle.

“Mordor…” Approaching the edge of the tower as the fog finally disappeared, revealing the desolate landscape that the wall was hiding to others, a scene she saw everyday.

“You said I was banished from death, right?” Catra turned to face him upset at the fact, but curious of why she deserved this fate, “Could you explain?”

“We were cast adrift between the world of light and dark,” Slowly approaching as it seemed it was hard to explain, Catra assumed that after being like this for a long time one forgets their memories, “A curse binds us together within the walls of Arda.”

“A curse… probably the Black Hand’s doing…” Muttering softly as she returned to that memory, grimacing at the thought of watching ehr family dying again, but the words he spoke sounded like a ritual, “Then the way we break this curse…”

“Is to find the one who cast it on us. The Black Hand of Sauron.” Nodding in agreement with her.

“Good. Cause I want to kill him for making me break a promise.” Catra stared angrily out into the wasteland, vowing to kill him.

What Catra wasn’t expecting was from their bodies to merge together, after everything she imagined today she wasn’t expecting a man to be inside her, dirty joke intended. Glad that her thoughts could be kept to herself. Watching as while in the tower the elf controlled their movement slightly, but she could hear everything.

A ghostly hammer appeared in his hand before stroking the anvil, a strange surge of knowing passed through her as blinding light filled their eyes, this felt like a natural and safe place. Even knowing more about the area around the tower than her time as a ranger.

“What was that?” Catra questioned as shivers ran through her body.

“I...do not remember, but it felt natural,” He answered honestly as the hammer disappeared, turning the edge of the tower, “But if we die your body will return here, no matter how damaged or destroyed.”

“Great...if dying once wasn’t painful enough,” Catra groaned not looking forward to the journey ahead, “At least I won’t feel what happens to my body if I do.”

“Be grateful that you don’t, uruk’s aren’t always pleasant.” The Elf was about to head for the edge, but Catra could at least hold him back for now.

“I believe you, don’t jump off the tower to prove that fact.” Catra hissed slightly not wanting to die again so soon, even if she can come back.

“That was not my intention, we are able to survive great heights without consequence.” The Elf spoke like it was a normal and natural thing.

“Right...shit if we’re going this, we’re doing the jump together cause we’d both be grateful at it.” Finally letting go slightly as they both held control of the jump.

Catra didn’t mind heights so much so she wasn’t fearful of the fact, but if anyone said they weren’t scared of falling she’d call bullshit on that. As once her legs left the tower from their jump, her heart jumped to her throat as wind blasted into their face, rapidly plummeting to the ground.

Twisting her body around as she landed feet first on the run down and old stone bridge in the Elf’s form, not feeling an injury or broken bones at all, “I’m not going to get used to that anytime soon.”

“So we missed one of you at Narchost, eh?” An uruk interrupted her as she looked across the bridge, a small patrol of four it seems, “An easy mistake to fix!”

“Oh no you did get all of us,” Catra couldn’t help but have her cocky nature on her face as a ghostly bow appeared in her hand, only visible to her, “I just got better.”

Time seemed to slow down as she pulled the string of the bow back, a ghostly arrow forming, firing it at the first uruk watching it stick into his head, killing him instantly. Frightening the other uruks slightly from them slowly jumping back, firing another arrow killing another one.

The time returned to normal as the last two uruks charged at her as the bow disappeared from her grasp, pulling out her sword and charging them. Passing her blade to her left hand as she struck one of them with her fist, a ghostly pulse covered the uruk, stunning him for a bit.

Allowing her time to crouch and kick out the legs of the other, plunging her sword into his chest when impacting against the ground. Switching back to the other as he shook his head away from the confusion, only to find a blade through his neck looking into Catra’s eyes before falling dead to the ground.

A fifth uruk appeared as it climbed from over a wall, jumping down and shoving her against it, throwing a punch into her side. Grunting raising her arm blocking another strike, throwing a punch of her own against his jaw blood spraying. Before her hand landed on his face covered in a ghost aura, the uruk screaming in pain as if his face was being burned before falling back.

“What the…” Staring at her hand as it seemed to smoke slightly but there were no visible burns on her as it turned back to normal.

“Go back to him.” The elf appeared at her sight staring at her hand as well.

“You deliberately want me to do that to him again? Okay…” Catra was slightly worried the elf was a sadist, but she was curious of what happened as well.

Picking the uruk up and grabbing him in a choke hold so he couldn’t easily escape, turning him around and shoving her hand against his face. The sizzling returned but less so than before as the elf shouted something he didn’t understand noticing the uruk on his knees in front of her.

Getting a closer look it seemed he had black face paint all around his eyes to probably bring terror to his opponents, as his blue eyes sat in the middle of them. His orange skin looked slightly old as if he had been in battle before, and felt like it too as she could still feel the pain of the punch.

“What do you know of the hand of Sauron?” The Elf started to interrogate him, handing burning slightly against the uruk’s face, blue ethereal light showing from his eyes.

“He is a fiend! Made of thin air…” He was compelled to talk, well more like forced as Catra could see the uruk’s memories.

“What more?” The Elf pressed harder wanting more information, Catra was going to assume the elf was a sadist from now on.

“A slave I had...swears he fought him,” The uruk admitted trying to escape from the pain, “I sold him...for a keg of grog...to Gimub the slaver.”

Catra could sense the fear in the uruk while seeing all his thoughts and memories flying into her head, some were curious though as even though this uruk had slaves, he treated them better than most. The reason he had sold the slave cause he was fighting other slaves and him, not wanting to harm them.

Catra could sense the elf ghost was going to try and kill him so she took control and let go of him, she knew the uruk could see both of them so she looked into his eyes, indicating for him to run. The uruk was slightly surprised but frightened still before running off before the ghost could do anything.

“That is where we have to go.” The elf sounded annoyed but knew he couldn’t do anything, plus they had more pressing matters on their hands.

“I know, his thoughts can’t lie after all.” Catra stood up, preparing to go fight the slaver.


	2. Death of a Slaver

“The world has changed,” Catra was mostly speaking to herself, having a new perspective on the world, “Nothing makes sense.”

“Nothing has changed. This is how it will be,” The Elf answered despite this, “The future and the past are linked in darkness.”

“I don’t understand why i’m here,” Walking across the landscape, hiding here and there from uruk patrols not having to kill every single one she sees, “I should be dead with my family.”

“And I can’t remember,” The Elf sounded miserable for a few seconds before going stoic, “Let’s go find the slaver. His mind may provide answers.”

Catra decided to test her skills on a lone uruk she encountered walking around, not intending to kill him right away as she wanted to practise her countering. Slashing at the uruk’s back to get his attention, he growled in pain gripping his club with embedded spikes, swinging it towards her.

When training with her son she was holding back, but now she doesn’t need to, blocking the strike allowing it to hit her blade, before sliding it to the left making the Uruk tumble. Backhand him in the face stunning him, shaking his in confusion. Catra ran past him with her tail wrapping around his ankles and tugging him down.

Going into slow motion and aiming her last arrow at the back of his head, killing him before his body hit the floor. It was weird to Catra that she could sense she didn’t have any more arrows, actually she blamed the elf wraith for all these weird and new powers, but to be honest it was awesome.

Eventually she found her way to a small encampment she saw in the uruk’s memories, she could hear perhaps over a dozen uruks inside but not too many close to her location. Ducking behind a large wooden cart watching as someone was trying to make a break for it, it wasn't a human but a beastman like her.

Unable to see much but could tell they were of the canine beastmen from those pointed ears and large fluffy looking tail, not getting far as he looked malnourished as two uruks caught him. Beating him until he was knocked out, dragging away his body further into the camp.

“He looked familiar, but this doesn’t bode well.” Catra tried to remember if she knew him, but couldn’t think of anything.

“Don’t you see? The prisoner created a distraction.” The Elf wraith was right as it was giving her opening.

“That’s cruel, but I understand...Guess it’s time to find this slaver,” Catra mumbled moving to sneak inside, blocked by the elf as he held out his arm, “What?”

“Why use your beastman sight to track the uruk? I see more than any mortal.” The elf wraith went inside her vision changing to the ghostly realm.

“This is weird, I could have tracked him easily but this works too,” Looking around feeling weird she could see silhouettes of uruks and slaves through solid walls, all nearly looking the same, almost, one had a red glow unlike the rest, “I’m guessing that is the slaver?”

“Correct, slay the orc captain,” The Elf wraith returned her vision to normal, “Cut off the head of the snake and the body will wither.”

“I’ll get him second, but first,” Peeking out of cover seeing a few archers up on high platforms looking over the camp, “I must take out the eyes of the camp.”

Waiting for a group of uruk to walk by, she followed behind them from a distance to get closer to one of the towers, breaking off the climb up. Able to sneak up undetected she yanks the archer back with her tail around his neck, stabbing her son’s broken blade into its spine.

Lowering the body behind cover once he stopped moving, eyes overlooking the camp whose defense only seemed to be a lot of melee fighters, and only four archers, now only three. Spotting a strong length of rope connecting to another tower, she got to her hands and feet waiting for a patrol to pass by underneath.

Pounding across the rope as quickly as possible, ears twitching she looked up and saw one of the archers had wandered over and jumping abc in surprise, trying and struggling to get an arrow aimed at her. With one last jump she pounced at him one hand covering his mouth as he was tackled back, using the other to shove her claws into the jab under its jaw.

Tail throwing away his crossbow as she dug the claws deeper, feeling the black blood seeping around them before pulling them out once he was dead. Wiping her claws on the armour the uruk had worn, appreciated with the fact no other uruk heard her. Another length of rope led to the large structure in the middle of the camp, running across it quickly while no one noticed.

“There’s two uruk’s talking to each other,” Peeking from behind the wall, whispering to her elf companion, “You have an ability to lure one of them?”

“Hmm, let me try something then,” The elf turned into a mist like cloud and zoomed towards the two uruks, unable to see the cloud. Surrounding one, Catra’s ears twitched as she heard ghostly whispers from the uruk and around her as the uruk started walking towards the wall she hid behind, “There, that should help.”

“I guess? But now the other uruk is confused.” Gripping the broken blade with her tail, claws unsheathing while crouching as the uruk got close.

Claws digging into the uruk’s legs pulling them out from under him, moving to run to the other uruk as her tail slashed the blade at the uruks neck. The other uruk tried punching her as it reacted a bit better than most, but his aim was off and missed. Slamming her claws deep onto either side of his head, feeling his skull cracking beneath them.

An ethereal noise filled her ears from beside her, quickly pulling out her claws and dropping the body and prepared to fight. But there was no reason for it as it was coming from ghost arrows pinned in the wall. Walking over to them slightly confused and touching them, vanishing from sight but felt like her arrow supply replenished.

“You know what...i’m not going to acknowledge how weird that was,” Catra rubbing her face in annoyance, but regretting that fact pulling hand away slightly gagging, “If i find water i’m washing my hands.”

“We have more important things to focus on right now,” The Elf spoke to her, with his ever stoic face and not even laughing a little, “The slaver is below us.”

“I will never understand their choice of armour and ‘fashion’,” Catra leaned over the side slightly seeing Gimub the slaver, having this weird head mask that fitted to his head, spikes all over, “You’ll never catch me wearing that.”

“It wouldn’t fit you regardless,” The Elf shrugged before pointing to the last archer across the way, “The last archer is still alive, your choice?”

Playing different scenarios in her head off how to possibly finish this quickly, nodding once she had a plan in mind. First taking out the archer with a ghostly arrow, before jumping off the edge aiming for Gimub. Kneeing him the back of the head knocking him to the ground, Catra went into a roll to stand up quickly.

Stabbing the broken blade into his side hoping for an easy kill, but to her surprise he was still alive and kicking, dodging a swing as he got up and faced her. Not having a chance to react as Gimub grabbed the back of her head and threw her, nearly falling to the ground.

More uruks were charging to join the fight, but reluctantly growled and stayed back as Gimub shouted at them. Catra tossed the broken blade behind her, catching it with her tail. Pulling out her sword to block Gimub's swing, their blades locking together as they were face to face, trying to win the small push of blades.

“A pity I have to kill you,” Gimub started winning the competition of strength as his blade was slowly grinding down hers, “You would have made a strong slave.”

“The fact you are half dead from just one strike,” Catra pushed back, her tail digging the blade into his wound, “You wouldn’t keep me in a cage for long.”

Backing off holding his wound which was larger now as his black blood was flowing out of him, shouting in rage for the other uruks to now help. Thrusting her tail back as the blade found its home in an uruk’s head from one charging from behind. Two more charging her as her ears indicated from either side of her.

Able to block one and wouldn’t be able to move fast enough to block the other, but it seemed the elf had enough physical prowess as a wraith blocked it for her. Knocking both uruks down in unison before Catra charged for Gimub again, knowing other uruks would flee if their leader died.

Taking a hit from an uruk, her body seemed to have gained resistance while like this as that could have been a killing blow, instead felt like a hard punch. Vaulting over an uruk that Gimub was hiding behind, blocking his strike and pulling him towards her, lifting and kicking in the same wound making it worse.

Hobbling over in pain, he never had a chance to speak his last words as Catra hands glowed brightly and punched him hard in the face, twisting his head and snapping it, falling lifelessly to the floor. The sounds of battle went quiet as uruks gawked in terror, before every last one of them ran out of there with fear.

“That should make things easier for a while,” Sighing a little about to walk off to find the slave, before noticing some glowing on the floor, picking it up and inspecting it, “What is this?”

“That is a rune,” The efl appeared in front of her looking at it as well, “The kind that can be fitted onto your dagger?”

“You mean my son’s broken blade?” Catra pulled the blade forward, looking between it and the rune, “What does it do exactly?”

“‘Fell voices’,” The elf hovered his hand over the rune with his hammer out, able to tell the name and what it does, “It recovers all your focus and health upon killing a high-ranking uruk.”

“I’m assuming the focus is when I slow time with the bow? That probably does sound helpful,” Catra hummed slightly, tail swaying as she weighed the ups and downs, “How exactly would you fuse it to my son’s blade?”

“Like this,” The elf tapped his hammer against the rune, before tapping it against the blade, the rune appearing in the blade, “What's the name of your son’s blade?”

“He never got to name it,” Tail dipped down slowly looking at it sadly, before holding it in her hand, “But...I’ll call it Achran.”

“Ahh, Vengeance. A fitting name.” The elf nodded his approval with a sad look of his own vanishing.

Wandering around the encampment was easier now as no uruks were bearing down on her, but it made it easier to see the horrific sights. Slaves dead and beaten here and there, some barely alive but wouldn’t be able to survive. Some that were alive were tied to posts as a punishment.

Ears turning to the right slightly as she could hear footsteps approaching, not heavy like an uruks and not either as they were wearing armour. Turning her head at the newcomer her eyes widened at the familiar person, the same reaction on their face.

Standing there was a canine beastmen from earlier, now easily recognizable. He stood tall and lean, clothed in the armor of the outcasts. Covered in yellow-sandy fur with large pointed ears on his head that stay pricked up, his tail the same colour as his fur but tip was white in colour.

His eyes the colour of that of a deep blue lake, a scar over one of them where the fur hadn’t grown back to hide it. Teeth sharp in his muzzle, some yellow in colour from not much care, but she could hardly blame him from where they are. A sword in his sheath on his hip. This was Higron.

“So you didn’t die ten years ago,” Catra turned back to the post and cut the slave free, helping him gently to a stand before facing Higron again, “Still have the same old fleas?”

“Probably the same as you do,” Higron chuckled a little shaking his head, “I take it you did not come here to arrest me for treason, Captain?”

“You and I are all that remains of that garrison, Higron,” Sighing and remembering all their fallen allies, “Even had been prepared to leave as well.”

“Then why did you come here?” Higron tilted his head confused while his ears twitched, while releasing another slave..

“Looking for a slave that fought the Black Hand of Sauron.” Catra admitted to him as he was someone she could trust.

“More like ran away from him.” Higron turned his head in shame, but at least he was alive.

“So you fought him then,” Catra connected the dots quickly while facing him, ears twitching at the sound of falling rocks in the distance but Higron didn’t seem to notice, “Can you tell me where they are?”

“Perhaps. I’ve been here for weeks, my scouts back at camp could help,” Releasing the last of the slaves in the camp turning to her as they started heading out, “I can lead the way if you want to follow?”

“I’ll catch up later, I want to give the encampment one more look in case we missed anyone,” Catra patted his shoulder, telling him to go. Higron nodded while leading the slaves away, shaking her head slightly, “His hearing must be going bad.”

Turning to look in the direction of a small mountain-like peak, a strange creature lingerd on a ledge starring in her direction, ducking behind a few rocks when it was spotted. But it didn’t run off as it was peeking from over it still, it’s eyes were bigger than one would expect.

“That isn’t an orc,” Catra stared athe creature while the elf appeared beside her, “What is it?”

“Someone who wants to be seen,” The Elf warned her, “We should tread with caution.”

“Well… let’s see what this creature wants,” Catra turned back to the spot the creature was, but it had vanished, “Time to track.”

* * *

“I know some Uruk’s are dumb,” Catra was speaking to herself as she stabbed an uruk in the head, the fifth from a straight line, they seemed not to hear the others dying behind them, “But that was even dumber than normal.”

Catra had been following the creature's tracks for sometime, having to climb up walls and taking out patrols of uruks as this creature was trying to throw her off track. The footprints didn’t look human or beastman, nor any beast she’s seen, the only thing that could be close was a hobbit but it’s feet were mangled and twisted.

The Elf wraith had mentioned it had been touched by dark power, so perhaps it used to be a hobbit, but it would be barely recognisable anymore. She had freed some slaves along the way, even using morgul flies, as much as she hates those things, to scare the uruks holding them captive.

“We’re coming up on a caragor cave,” Catra could smell it before seeing it as they walked up a slope with rocky walls on either side, a mouth to a cave at the top, watching the creature slip inside, “That should be fine.”

“Exactly what is fine about a caragor cave?” The elf wraith looked at her perplexed and confused.

“You know the story with how Sauron gave the rings to different races,” Catra not turning to look at the elf’s face not seeing his reaction, “Four were given to the beastman. They were corrupted by the rings, their bodies forming and changing against their will. They became the first Graug, Caragor, Fell Beast and Were-wyrm. Or so they say.”

“How does this explain why you aren’t a bit fearful of them? The elf questioned her still.

“Well I believe those stories a little as the first Caragor was a feline beastmen,” Catra slowly walked into the cave seeing the creature’s tracks all over the place, trying to confuse her, “I've encountered Caragor’s before. It seems despite their corruption they never attack me. But anyone else near me at the time is still considered food.”

“That information could probably be helpful in the future,” The elf looked around with his wraith vision, pointing to a higher ledge, “There, single tracks heading up.”

“Must be hiding up there it seems,” Crouching low before leaping high, catching the ledge with her claws and lifting herself up, seeing a few piles of bones from caragor’s prey, the tracks just stop at a weird formation in the ground, “Hmm.”

Kneeling down and pulling the rocks away, out of everything she expected to find, she wasn’t expecting a pendant that seemed clean and knew, probably elvish make. Picking it up slowly to inspect it closer, pain started running through her body, glowing from the inside.

Images flashing in her eyes of a bloodied hammer used in murder, two dead in front of the yeilder a mother and a young daughter laying in pools of their own blood. Thankful the images changed to show them smiling instead as she did not wish to witness the injuries one caused to a young girl.

Falling to her knees the pendant falling from her grasp the pain disappearing from her.

“What was that and what did I see?” Catra rubbed her head, ears twitching as she tried making sense of it.

“It is a lost heirloom, Catra.” The elf kneeled down as well to be eyesight with her.

“You remember?” Catra turned to face the elf, slightly surprised at the revelation, but the images made sense now.

“A few broken images, yes,” Turning to the heirloom wishing to pick it up, but physically can’t, so Catra did, “Though now I wish that I hadn’t.”

“That was your family then...” Despite just meeting him, she had hoped it wasn’t but now it was confirmed.

“Perhaps that pain is what connects us.” The elf reasoned, making a bit more sense.

“If we find more of these, perhaps we can learn your name,” Catra put the pendant in her pocket, “It is embarrassing just to keep calling you elf.”

“True, I wish to remember my name as I only know yours.” The elf nodded, letting out a small laugh at that.

Catra was going to continue before feeling a small rock hit against her lute, looking towards the edge she had climbed the creature was hanging over the edge closer to her than before. One eye reflecting fear, the other anger, she did not know the creature’s true emotions, it turned to run off.

“Wait! I need to kno-” Catra cut off hearing something large beside her, ears twitching as she looked to the left, two caragor’s climbing up.

Both Caragor’s froze and growled at her but made no moves to attack her, and she could see why as in one of them four spears were lodged into it’s back, one of them had struck deep leaving the poor creature bleeding out. Raising her hands up and tread slowly towards them, making no sudden movements.

Both Caragor’s were remaining on the defensive but allowed her close. Catra guided her hand over it’s side as she moved closer to the spear to keep it calm, grabbing the shaft of the spear giving only a light tug. It hissed but didn’t move as it figured out what she was trying to do.

Pulling a small bottle off her belt filled with paste that was crushed from the greenish stalks of the Niphredil. Wrapping her tail and free hand on the spear before yanking it quick, the caragor roaring in pain as blood started flowing. As soon as she did, she rubbed the green paste over the wound to staunch the blood flow. Watching as the uninjured caragor was keeping this one calm

Catra proceeded with the other three spears, by the time she was down both caragor’s had fallen asleep. Managing to have stopped the wounds from flowing, not having to let it heal naturally. When leaving the cave to follow after the creature, she didn’t hesitate to kill every uruk in the hunting party she came across.

“Now where has this creature gone?” Catra was searching the area, finding its tracks within the mess of the uruk’s and caragor’s, following them to where there was a small tunnel into the wall of stones.

Her ears twitched at the sounds that seemed like a conversation inside, though the weird part was the voices were from the same person. Mirroring the exact emotions that could be seen in the creatures eyes. Waiting patiently the creature had started crawling out of the tunnel, pouncing onto it keeping it trapped against the ground.

“Calm down would ya? If I was going to hurt you, you’d be dead already.” Catra struggled to keep it still surprised at the little guy’s strength.

“Ask him about the jewel. What does he know of it?” The elf appeared beside them wanting to know answers, the creature stopped struggling, eyes widening as he seemed to peer right at the elf.

“Bright master! Yes, we knows,” The creature had called the elf the bright master, but Catra was going to keep thinking elf, “Bright master came to us, in our dreams.”

“You...see me…? That got both Catra’s and the elf’s attention.

“This little guy might be more help than we know.” Standing up allowing the creature to move, it moved to the tunnel entrance, talking a bit more there was one thing that stood out, the creature’s name was Gollum.

* * *

Catra was used to being attacked by uruks everywhere she went, so she was on guard most of the time as she explored the land of udun so to say she was surprised when not one Uruk, but two called out for her to help was an understatement. She had been prowling around a ruined fortress wanting to gain information. The two uruks were tied to posts to be left for dead.

The first uruk had sickly green skin covered in a few scars here and there. He was wearing worn leather which was under an encasement of bones that resembled a rib-cage, going around to the back. Curved spine bones poked from the back into the post he was tied to, probably hurting his real spine.

Five extra bones were at the top behind his head in small gaps, probably protection from strikes to the back of the head, but mostly decoration. Metal bands wrapped tight around his upper arms leaving slight bruises but not enough to hurt. There were more bones adorned on his worn leather pants leading down to his bandaged feet in sandals.

Having dull yellow eyes with one having a scratch mark above it, mostly balding at the front but had dark hair further along to the back and black beard on either side of his jaw. Many metal rings were in his ears, mouth and one even in his nose.

The other uruk looked familiar to her, his skin was orange like that of the setting sun. Black face paint covered the areas around his eyes and down to the sides a bit, blue eyes sitting in the ocean of black. He seemed slightly annoyed at the other uruk but was hiding his complaints.

This uruk wore no bones anywhere on him, as he was also wearing worn leather but with metal in the mix, only covering his torso and back and not his arms. Having no protection for his head, but his shoulder pads had curved blades for anyone foolish to put their hands near him.

Also wearing work leather pants, metal knee pads overlaid on top and wearing metal boots that protected everywhere but his toes. A few cuts in his clothes but none of them were ever fatal to him. This uruk seemed to have a journal hanging from his belt.

“Well you two are certainly interesting,” Walking up to them as her curiosity won her over, “If I am to help you, can I know your names.”

“Name’s Ratbag.” The sickly green one introduced himself first, the name sounded either like that of a coward or a survivor.

“I’m Kracrog,” The other introduced himself sighing in annoyance looking at Ratbag, “I’m shrakh for brain’s blood brother.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The interaction with Gollum might be short but whenever he appears again I'll probably write more on him. But I hope you like how this is going, I certainty am. But perhaps I won't write of each fight as it could take a long time to do lol.


	3. Ratbag and Kracrog

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shorter Chapter this time but I still had fun writing it either way, the next chapter will be longer but still I hope you enjoy.

“So what information can you two give me,” Catra stood in front of them, not freeing them yet while pointing to dead uruks their fluids starting to be drained by Morgul bats while avoiding her, “That they didn’t?”

“Go head, ya bastard!” Ratbag seemed to think she wanted to kill him, not knowing Catra was planning no such thing, “Do it! I’ll die and you’ll know nothing!”

“Calm down shrakhhead! If the ranger was going to kill us, she would have already,” Kracrog groaned in annoyance at his brother, would have smacked him in the head if not bound to the post, “I don’t think she wants to either.”

“You could let me have a little fun,” Catra rubbed her face, annoyed ears laying flat, “First I need to know something. Kracrog, what happened to the slaves you had?”

“They were forced into stronger labor when other uruks realised I was going easy on the tarks,” Kracrog sounded annoyed at the fact, she knew tarks are what uruks called humans, while her kind were called ferals, “Actually with our information you’ll learn exactly where they are to free them.”

“Look, those slaves are no match for the orc army. Their schemes are rotten as barrel fish!” Ratbag claimed, Catra reluctantly agreed in her mind, sure a few slaves could fight back but against an army of ururks they would lose, “But Ratbag can teach you the way of the orcs...Ratbag can make your plan work!”

“Somehow I doubt you’re the brains of the operation.” Catra couldn't help but laugh as Ratbag looked annoyed, even more so when his brother was laughing.

“I like the Ranger already,” Kracrog admitted, calming his laughing, “Honestly though he makes the schemes, I just fine tune them. Take a look in his head, you’ll see the truth.”

“What do yo- Wait, wait, wait we don’t need to do that.” From Ratbag’s panicked expression she assumed Kracrog told him what happened, it was probably another reason they knew she wouldn’t attack them.

“Clearly you just want him to experience it as well.” Catra chuckled watching a guilty smirk appear on his face.

Catra wasn’t one to disappoint so she pressed her hand against Ratbag’s head once it started to glow. Watching the images flashing by, Ratbag and Kracrog were beaten to a pulp while the slaves were taken. Kracrog had killed a few uruks with ease but had quickly been overwhelmed. Ratbag didn’t fight as he had no weapon on hand, either better with a weapon or not at all.

Seeing no lies or plans of backstabbing her in his mind,she removed her hand much to the relief of Ratbag, cutting the ropes that bound him as he tumbled to the floor. Doing the same for Kracrog but he had better balance than Ratbag managing to stay on his feet, both pillaging the bodies of the other dead uruks.

“Your problem. Ranger, is the warchiefs. Strong leaders, they are,” Ratbag swatted a bat away from the corpse, wanting to avoid it’s venomous bite, “Now if something were to happen to them, then they wouldn’t be able to stomp your insurrection, would they?”

“You know i could easily track them down with my training and sense of smell, right?” Catra sighed waiting for them tail swaying impatiently as they still looted the corpses, “But I’m assuming this extends to more than just killing them.”

“You’d be right about that, but first before we want your help killing a captain,” Kracrog managed to find a knife, turning to Catra as Ratbag searched, “Trust goes both ways. You can read our minds but we can’t yours, this Captain helped take the slaves.”

“We’ll lead the way for you Ranger,” Ratbag found a jagged knife before leading their small group to their location, “Let’s stop faffin about, eh. We got a captain to kill, and a few caragors.”

“...what did you say?” Catra had instinctively moved her hand to the hilt of her sword, tail moving to grab the dagger, only stopping when Kracrog smacked his brother in the head.

“This idiot needs to say things better,” Kracrog pinched his nose sighing as Ratbag rubbed his head, “The captain is a caragor tamer, he lets his hunting party out to capture wild caragors. Ran past us a few hours ago, haven’t returned.”

“The caragors they were hunting are fine,” Catra had a devilish smirk on her face, “The Hunting party on the other hand, not so much.”

“Guess that will make it easier to sneak through his camp when he has fewer defenders,” Kracrog didn’t care that the hunting party got killed, “Hey, Ratbag, shall we help since we had planned on staying back?”

“Sure after all we have similar goals,” Ratbag questioned in his head slightly before nodding looking at Catra as they walked, “See, you want to kill the captain and somebody’s got to take his place.”

“So much for waiting on trust, idiot.” Kracrog muttered annoyed wanting to stab his brother just a little, but decided against it.

“Actually it does make sense. If you take his place and command a few uruks, you can keep some off my back,” Catra surmised as they crest a hilltop, before proceeding down., “So he is in charge?”

“Goroth? Of this camp, yea. But he’s no warchief. They answer directly to the Black Hand. I’ll show them all when I’m in the Black Hand’s inner circle,” Ratbag explained their plan a little more as the sun set on the horizon, walking through an old ruined area, “ Becoming a Captain is just the first step of Ratbag’s plan to become warchief.”

“Working up the chain of command, by killing the ones in command. Makes sense,” Shrugging her shoulders turning to Kracog, “What about you? Where do you sit in his plan?”

“I’ve got no interest in becoming a captain or Warcheif, I need to be there to watch my brother’s back,” Kracrog groaned like it was going to be a chore for him, but the look in his eyes showed he cared, “Need him to survive after all.”

“Then perhaps we should get rid of our unwanted company,” Catra pulled out her sword and held Achran in her tail, ears twitching hearing footfalls around them, “Cause clearly they don’t know how to sneak up on others.”

“Sharhk. Brother stay close.” Kracrog moved close to Ratbag as a few uruks came around the corners and started charging at their group.

Catra tried testing a move the elf suggested to her earlier using what she deemed the wraith stun as the punch stunned an uruk, before swinging her sword at them, quickly followed by a blade from the elf. It caught her off guard a bit but kept slicing feeling bad for the uruk as once she was done his torso and face were covered in cuts.

Slicing it’s ankles with Achran caused him to fall to his hands and knees, quickly losing his head from Catra decapitating him with ease, turning to help the brothers but was impressed. Kracrog seemed to be more of a brawler and deflector, having killed the first uruk with the knife he had, before picking up the sword he dropped.

Watching him deflect blows with the sword which was then followed up with a punch to the uruks face, causing them to fall off balance. That’s when Ratbag came in as despite his back out of place he was good at dodging, and even sneaking up the uruks Kracrog distracted and stabbed them in the back.

Catra found the battle went a lot quicker and smoother when fighting alongside someone, even uruks as the ambushers we’re now dead laying all around them. Putting away their weapons after catching their breath, they continued on.

“Well done, Ranger. Now just picture all these corpses as Goroth,” Ratbag suggested after a small laugh, “Visualize your goals.”

“Have you two have run-ins with him before? As you didn’t seem to be surprised,” Catra had noticed instead of worry they had shown annoyance when she told them about the ambushing uruks.

“He’s been after us for years, mostly Ratbag,” Kracrog pointed to the claw marks across Ratbag’s eyes, “Last time he was thrown into a caragor pit...I may have killed those caragors to save him.”

“I... don’t mind if it’s in self defense as they are still wild beasts after all,” Catra explained to them, a little tense when he mentioned killing caragors, but the situation it was understable, “I hate when people deliberately hunt them...And I’m no fool, I know i’m most likely going to have to kill the ones tamed. Doesn’t mean I like it.”

“You don’t have to worry much, Goroth keeps caragors in pens,” Ratbag continued after she was done explaining, “Rumor has it, he doesn’t like to get too close to them.”

“Okay firstly I’m going to release all those caragors,” Catra nodded to herself before turning to both of them with a blank face, “Now explain that last bit again.”

“Trust me, we thought it was stupid as fear, a caragor tamer that is afriad of caragors,” Kracrog laughed bitterly as they were reaching the camp, “Ranger, me and Ratbag will move around the camp, we’ll move around to his hunting camp.”

“Why would we- Oh, he’s probably waiting for his boys to get back,” Ratbag was quick to realise nodding, “We’ll head there as he could be in either place. We’ll meet there after you free the caragors.”

“Now, that sounds like a great plan,” Catra smirked, claws unsheathing and glinting in the moonlight.

Splitting up and making for the camp in an old ruined part of a fort, she could see alarm like systems in a few places here and there, ears could hear laughter from uruks as some sat by fires, others patrolling and on the lookout. She probably could rush in, but might as well get solid evidence of where Goroth was.

Carving her way into the fort stealthily as first she killed a patrolling uruk, pouncing on him from behind and hiding his body in the pushes as she killed him. Sniffing if any other uruks patrols this path, confirming they don’t before starting to scale the wall of the fort. Slicing the neck of an unwanted archer in her lookout point.

DIdn’t have to wait for long as two uruks wielding shields came out of the darkness from the direction of the hunting camp, from their words she knew Goroth never came here. Now she had that information it was time to start a little chaos.

First shooting down nests of morgul flies, which exploded on impact against the ground leaving any unfortunate uruk nearby to be swarmed by the deadly things making them run in fear. Secondly she shot down a piece of hanging bait, luring any wild caragors nearby to swarm the place, killing any other uruks still remaining.

Lastly she freed the four caragors locked in their pens, all of them giving her grateful looks before running off to freedom. One remained behind allowing her to actually ride it, which Catra may or may not have wanted to do for a while. Horses were one thing, caragors were another.

Feeling the wind in her face as her fur bristled as well, ears laying flat as tail swaying behind her, she couldn’t help but cheer. Heading for the hunting camp as the caragor seemed to know where to go, and probably wanting payback for being kept in a cage.

Reaching the hunting camp there was also chaos as other uruks were running around, looking up she saw Kracrog had managed to get his hands on a crossbow and released caragors from their cages from a distance. Now both him and Ratbag were laughing watching Goroth being batted around.

“So,” Catra announced her presence as the caragor pounced onto the ledge frightening the brothers, shocked at seeing her on a caragor, “I take it you don’t need this. Where are the slaves?”

“Ran off during the confusion, better that way as the caragors wouldn’t hesitate to choose between them,” Kracrog explained while never looking away at Goroth, “A group of them headed that direction, carrying a flying feral. Wings looked broken.”

“Ranger, thanks for your help, meet up with us at the crossroad tomorrow for the next stage in the plan,” Ratbag mentioned he needed the ear of Goroth’s body, or anything if the caragors left anything.

“This was actually fun, we still need you to be a warchief, the less uruks on me the better. See ya.” Waving at them before patting the caragor planning on following the group of slaves, figuring they must know where the outcast camp was.

* * *

Catra at the moment didn’t think orc captains were such a big deal, first of all she killed an uruk who she learned was called Zugor the Puny. The name was correct as she managed to sneak up on him during his trial of ordeal to kill a caragor, and easily dispatched him by shoving Achran into his skull.

While still following the tracks she ended up not scaring one captain, but two, she didn’t know their names but she could tell they were based on their amour. Which she only saw the back of as they ran for the hills.

Reaching a small gap between the rocks she left the caragor to run off, slowly squeezing through and coming to metal gates, this place was known as the barrows as she heard uruks speak while reaching here. Uruks were too afraid to come here, making it a likely place for the outcasts, the recent footprints also helped tell her that.

Having no need for a torch as she entered, seeing everything clearly as there were a few beds around, tables, and barrels of food here and there. Further in the room had a table which seemed important as it had a few items on it, an uruks head on a pike next to it, this room was empty as it seemed they did their work at night.

To the left of the room in another small chamber seemed to be a medical area, seeing a bird beastman asleep with bandages wrapped around their wings on their back, two humans nursing them. That would have made it difficult to tell which type of bird beastmen, but being covered in black feathers and having a black beak, it was a crow beastmen.

Out of all beastmen, flying ones were uncommon to find and when one is around, they either turned into a soldier, a ranger or a map maker as they could see the land from a new angle. Most fliers are found with the eagles who help newborn ones to fly, but there are a few scattered across Gondor.

Turning around to look at the contents of the table, she was surprised to see a young canie beastmen in front of her. Identical to Higron’s appearance but with green eyes instead, probably from the mother. But what truly surprised her was that the boy had made no noise, and covered in a disguising scent.

“Well aren’t you a brave little thing,” Crouching down in front of them, impressed the boy didn’t seem to flinch, “What’s your name?”

The boy seemed to sniff her to see if she was friend or foe, relaxing a little bit before replying, “Figon. Father said not to talk to strangers, but you have his scent so you're not a stranger.”

“Your father’s scent? Oh right, I helped your father earlier today,” Catra swayed her tail as Figon seemed to watch it, “Where is your father by the way?”

“He went out for a bit on a small patrol, he’ll be back soon,” Figon seemed to look around a bit before reaching and hugging her, his own tail swaying as he muttered, “Thank you for saving him.”

“No problem,” Catra patted his head after pulling away from the hug, “Now go to your mother, I’m sure she must be worried about you.”

Figon nodded, running off into a different chamber, his tail swaying the whole way, Catra not realising he hadn’t smiled at all when his father was captured by uruks. But now he could.

“I see you’re making yourself at home Catra,” Higron entered the barrows followed by two human outcasts, “I see you met my son.”

“He’s a good kid, brave too,” Catra smiled leaning against a stone pillar, pointing to the uruk head on the pike, “What happened to him?”

“We learned valuable information from him...before he lost his head.” Higron smirked looking at the claws of his hand, probably having tortured the uruk for it.

“What exactly did you learn from him that was so important?” Her ears flicked towards him while she tilted her head.

“We have learned where they keep our blasting power,” Higron overlooked a map, turning towards her as his own ears flickered, “It’s all part of the plan.”

“If it leads us to the Black Hand then I’ll help.” Catra muttered.

“So anxious to find the Black Hand.” Higron glared down at her wondering why she wanted to find them, Catra glared back up at him.

“Higron. They killed my wife and son...I’m going to kill them.” Catra glared as her eyes showed grief in them, “And I was forced to watch...I should be with them.”

“Oh...I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” Higron’s tail dipped a little apologizing before a fire was relit in his eyes, “Then by all means. I will take you to him.”

**Author's Note:**

> So clearly Catra replaces Talion in this story as I tried tagging to show, the reason Ioreth wasn't changed to Adora was the fact I didn't want to kill Adora straight away, I have a plan for her in the future but it might be a while for her to appear. But I hoped you enjoyed this chapter.


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